


Keep Your Pretty Mouth Shut

by orphan_account



Series: 5 Seconds of Badlands [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Based on a song, Castle by Halsey, Fear, Idk m8, Inspired by Music, Kings & Queens, Loss of Control, M/M, Megalomania, Minor Violence, please, read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 17:59:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4970863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calum remembers how Luke seemed so entranced by programs and magazine articles saying that 5 Seconds of Summer could become the biggest, best band in the world. Calum remembers how Luke had become obsessed with it, how he pushed all of them to the edge trying to achieve what he called 'greatness'.</p><p> </p><p>Or: Luke is obsessed with perfection and Calum is just trying to keep his shattered band together.</p><p>Based on 'Castle' by Halsey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Your Pretty Mouth Shut

Calum remembers how, as the years went by, Luke started getting more and more angry. He started snapping at interviewers and paparazzi, and, on a few occasions, even fans. Calum remembers how Luke had crawled into his bed one night, after he'd all but  _screamed_ at a group of photographers to "leave me the  _fuck_ alone, oh my god!". He remembers how Luke had buried his face in the juncture between Calum's neck and shoulder, and breathed the words, "I'm sick of it, Cally."

"Sick of what?" Calum remembers asking, carding his fingers through Luke's soft, blond hair. 

'"All the people talking, Cal, all the noise," he remembers Luke answering in a soft, barely-there voice. "And I'm sick of all the cameras flashing at me. It's so hard to be poised and professional but still  _nice_ and approachable all the time. I feel- I feel like it's  _strangling_ me, Calum."

Calum remembers how, after that, Luke started to fall apart.

Calum remembers how Luke started talking without thinking, saying rude things to fans and paparazzi and interviewers all the time. Calum remembers how Luke never seemed to care, even after dozens of fans had stormed away  _crying,_ because that wasn't the Luke that they'd fallen in love with. It wasn't the Luke that they'd bought concert tickets to go see, that they'd spent hours looking a pictures and watching videos of. Luke wasn't  _Luke_ anymore. 

Calum remembers how Luke seemed so entranced by programs and magazine articles saying that 5 Seconds of Summer could become the biggest, best band in the world. Calum remembers how Luke had become  _obsessed_ with it, how he pushed all of them to the edge trying to achieve what he called  _'greatness'._ Calum remembers hearing Michael cry in the bathroom one night because Luke had shouted at him, saying that he wasn't  _good_ enough, and that they may as well  _replace_ him (Calum remembers how Michael had recoiled from Luke's words like he'd been slapped, and ran out of the recording studio with tears on his face. Calum remembers Luke's blank, bored expression as Ashton shouted at him, saying that he probably shouldn't be so mean). Calum remembers feeling  _trapped_ , like he was stuck in some kind of awful dream. He remembers how he sat down with his back pressed to the bathroom door, whispering apologies to Michael through the wood. He remembers how Michael had come out of the bathroom a few minutes later and hugged Calum tightly before silently making his way to his bedroom. 

Calum remembers how, the next day, he, Ash, and Mike had cornered Luke in the kitchen, telling him that he should start trying to keep his mouth shut. Calum remembers how Luke had spat "I don't care," at them, even as hurt flickered through his blue eyes. Calum remembers how Luke never actually did stop, and how Michael couldn't stand to be in the same room as him anymore because Luke's words  _scared_ him, and Calum remembers how the band had been divided. 

Calum remembers when everything started collapsing for good. 

He remembers how he started feeling  _stuck,_ like there was no way out. He remembers thinking that, for him, there was no way out, because he was scared of what Luke would do if he left. He remembers how he only ever saw Ashton and Michael at shows and rehearsals now, because Michael was  _terrified_ of Luke (Calum remembers when Michael had gone up to Luke and  _begged_ him to tell him what was wrong, and, instead of giving Michael an answer, Luke had spun around and punched him in the face. Calum remembers how Luke had wrapped his hand around Michael's neck and growled at him to "never speak to me again, you got it?". Calum remembers how Michael hadn't slept for three nights afterwards).

Calum remembers when they didn't win a KCA, and how everyone in the band was fine with it except for Luke. Calum remembers how he, Michael, and Ashton had been sitting in their living room, celebrating their performance with beer and nachos when Luke stormed in screaming about how "we didn't win because you're all  _shit!_ You fucking  _retards_ need to work harder, for fuck sake! This isn't a fucking joke!" Calum remembers how Michael had immediately got up and skirted to the opposite side of the room from Luke in fear of being hit again. Calum remembers how Ashton had followed Michael back, ready to protect him if he had to, and how Luke had walked right up to them, sneering at the fear on Michael's face. Calum remembers how he stood up, clutching his empty beer bottle tightly in his hand as he moved silently until he was right behind Luke, and how he hesitated for just a moment before smashing the bottle over the blond's head.

Calum remembers when Luke woke up on the couch, dazed and confused, and how he and Ash were sitting in chairs opposite him (Michael had chosen to stand against the far wall, putting as much space between himself and Luke as possible). Calum remembers how Luke had sat up slowly, his hand instinctively coming up to touch the cut on the back of his head.

"What happened?" Calum remembers him asking, his voice lacking the edge that it had had for so long. Calum remembers frowning even though he smiled, and he heard Michael breath a sigh of relief as he relaxed back against the wall. 

"Luke," Calum remembers Ashtons saying softly, "you've literally gone crazy. And it's scary, Lukey. And we think that you should get help."

Calum remembers when Luke had nodded like he understood even though he still looked confused.

Calum remembers how Luke held his hand as they drove to the doctor's office, and how Luke had calmed himself down some in the week since their talk in the living room but he'd still gotten angry at them a few times, still drawn his hand back once or twice to hit Michael before getting ahold of himself.

Calum remembers how he hadn't been allowed into the room with Luke so he sat outside, scrolling aimlessly through his phone while he waited. He remembers when Luke had stepped out of the office with tears on his face and a diagnosis of  _Megalomania_ (Calum remembers not knowing what that was and Googling it during the car ride home). Calum remembers how Luke was also clutching a prescription for some type of medication in his right hand, and he told Calum that he'd gotten a referral to a therapist and would be needing to book an appointment for some time later in the week.

Calum remembers how things got a  _lot_ better after that. He remembers how Luke was reacting so well to his behavioural cognitive therapy that he was taken off his meds after only a month. He remembers how Michael was reacting equally as well to his own treatment for minor PTSD, and things between two of his best friends were slowly building back up to what they used to be. Calum remembers when Ashton and Michael had come out as a couple a few months later, he and Luke following soon after. And Calum remembers feeling like everything could be okay again. 

Calum remembers the joy on Luke's face when, a year after everything had happened, 5 Seconds of Summer was declared the world's biggest band in Billboard magazine. He remembers how Luke had whispered "we did it, Cal," to him, that night as they were trying to go to sleep.

Calum remembers how it felt back when they were still teenagers making crappy videos in Michael's parents house, when they were free and young and able to do whatever they wanted, as long as they were home before their parent's curfew.

Calum remembers feeling like that all the time now.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment if you liked it, and also comment other albums or artists that I should write pics based on after this series!


End file.
